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https://reasonstobecheerful.world/namibia-endangered-pangolins-ancient-tracking-skills/>
"A subtle rustle from a nearby bush is enough to prompt Cwi and his group to
halt in their steps. The rangers have spent nearly a week trekking through the
treacherous community forest, located 36 kilometers from the Nyae Nyae
Conservancy Office, in search of the ever-so-elusive Temminck’s ground
pangolin.
Once the animal is confirmed to be a pangolin, a ranger quickly attaches a VHF
and GPS transmitter while Cwi* holds the mammal steady on the forest floor.
Rangers then photograph the now-tagged mammal before heading back to the Nyae
Nyae Pangolin Project’s headquarters. The long, grueling mission is finally a
success.
“The existence of these unique mammals is threatened by the relentless threat
of illegal hunting and trafficking,” says Kelsey Prediger, the American
researcher who founded the Pangolin Conservation and Research Foundation
(PCRF), which oversees the Nyae Nyae Pangolin Project.
Across many communities in Africa, pangolin meat is highly regarded as a
delicacy, while various parts of the pangolin’s body are believed to be
effective against numerous diseases in Asian traditional medicine, making the
animal a prime target for poachers.
Four pangolin species, including the Temminck’s ground pangolin, reside in
Africa, all listed as vulnerable to critically endangered. And every day at
least 300 pangolins are hunted, making it the world’s most-poached mammal.
The PCRF in Namibia was founded in 2020 to address the gap in conservation
efforts for one of the least understood mammalian species, whose elusive and
nocturnal nature makes studying them in their natural habitats exceedingly
difficult. The scientists there focus on research-informed conservation and
raising awareness about pangolins. PCRF has undertaken the groundbreaking task
of tagging Temminck’s ground pangolins, relying on a combination of modern
tracking technology and the ancient skills of the San, while addressing the
region’s socio-economic challenges.
The superb tracking skills of Namibia’s Indigenous San people, one of the
oldest and most vulnerable minorities in Namibia, are an essential element of
the conservation effort. Culturally and historically regarded as custodians of
Namibia’s Nyae Nyae Conservancy, the San believe that pangolins whistle a song
that summons life-saving rain to the arid, hot Kalahari bushveld. Harming or
killing a pangolin is deeply frowned upon in San culture as it is thought to
bring a year of bad rains.
Aside from the San’s reverence for pangolins, their knowledge of the terrain
and wildlife of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area makes them
indispensable for regional conservation and wildlife monitoring, notes
Prediger."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
